Character grows through cycles of being knocked down and getting up again. Expansion and consolidation. Like rings of a tree.

The Western motif seems more one grand move, constant growing. Geographically, technologically, economically. So the lessons learned from losing, both simple and nuanced, seem lost to the process.

Though we are now at the point where the mother of all reality checks is in the mail.

Those Asian countries we look down on, China, Russia, Iran/Persia, India, have been through many iterations of those cycles.

Efficiency is to do more with less, until we reach peak efficiency and can do everything with nothing.

Basically trade credits and debts. Aka, derivatives.

The bull is power. The matador is art.